Does your baby have difficulty sleeping? See why in the article Separation Anxiety and Night Terrors.

Napping needs vary based on the baby and their age. We can expect 3–4 per day for newborns, which will diminish to two around six months and one a day after 1–2 years of age. Finally, 3–5 year old children may no longer nap at all.

Don’t forget that napping for too long, three hours or more, or too close to the nightly sleep routine, can hinder them sleeping by themselves at night. The length and quality of naps in the day can influence the baby’s sleep at night, and the inverse.

It’s good to stabilise your baby’s sleep at night before starting naps. The nap ritual should be different at night, so the baby can understand the difference (ex.: baths at night). When your baby shows signs of fatigue, you can apply techniques to get them to sleep by themselves.

Would you like more details about the different techniques to promote your baby going to sleep by themselves? Read the article on Sleep Techniques for your Baby.

To learn more about the topic, you can also watch the video about Baby Sleep.

Talk soon,

Marie
The Baby Expert

References :

• Challamel, M-J et M. Thirion. Mon enfant dort mal. Éditions Pocket, 2015.
• Crichton, Georgina E. et B. Symon, Behavioral Management of sleep Problems in infants Under 6 months-What Works, Journal of dev. behav. Pediatrics, volume 37, p. 164-171, 2016.
• Gradisar, Michael et al., Behavioral Interventions for Infant Sleep Problems: A Randomized Controlled Trial, American Academy of Pediatrics, mai 2016.
• Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Guide Mieux vivre avec notre enfant de la grossesse à 2 ans, section sur le sommeil, p. 248-262, 2016.
• Langevin, Brigitte, Le sommeil du nourrisson, nouvelle édition, Éditions de Mortagne, 2016.
• Magazine Enfants Québec, De belles nuits à tous âges, octobre 2013.
• Martello Evelyne, Enfin je dors… et mes parents aussi, 2e édition, Éditions CHU Sainte-Justine, 2015.
• Mindell, J. A. et J. A. Owen. Clinical guide to Pediatric sleep: diagnosis and Management of Sleep Problems. 2e édition, Lippincott William & Wilkins, 2010.
• Revue Bien grandir, En chemin vers de belles nuits, novembre 2011.
• Revue Naître et grandir, Mieux comprendre le sommeil, octobre 2016.
• Pantley, Elizabeth, Un sommeil paisible et sans pleurs, Éditions ADA, 2005.